LA FAYETTE'S VISIT TO NEW JERSEY IN 1824-'5. By Frank Bergen, HISTORIC BORDEN TOWN. By Jay B. Tomlinson A SOMERSET County “DeserTED VILLAGE." By Elias Vosseller ZION, ST. PAUL AND OTHER EARLY LUTHERAN CHURCHES IN CEN- TRAL NEW JERSEY. By Dr. John C. Honeyman OLD DUTCH HOUSES IN BERGEN COUNTY MIDDLESEX COUNTY MARRIAGES OF A CENTURY AGO. (Continued) 281 Samuel Shepherd Dennis-John Archer Gifford-Eleanor Haines, M. D.-Philip Henry Hoffman-Leonard Kalisch- John Stevenson McMaster-David H. Merritt-Sidney The Indian Deed of 1710-Memorial to the Indian Chieftain Oratam-But Do We Know of the Indian Origin?-Child and Slave Labor in New Jersey 100 Years Ago-Fine Art Gift to the Newark Museum-A La Fayette Anniversary in September-A Veteran Contributor to this Number-The Huguenot-Walloon New Netherland Tercentenary-An Im- portant Walloon Document in London-The History of of the New Jersey Historical Society VOL. IX. NEW SERIES No. 3 La FAYETTE'S VISIT TO NEW JERSEY in 1824-'5 BY FRANK BERGEN, LL.D., NEWARK, N. J. THE CHARACTER and career of La Fayette-he needs no addition-afford a tempting subject to those who like to study the history of social agitations, revolutionary movements and the art of government. Born to the purple, left an orphan with a princely fortune at thirteen, he put aside in early life all the advantages that rank and wealth, high social position and long and honorable lineage are supposed to confer, and decided to lead a life of hardship, danger and suffering for Liberty's sake. He had rare gifts for the service of his fellowmen, and used them unselfishly in war and peace to the limit of his capacity. In 1777, before arriving at the age of twenty, La Fayette came to America, joined the military staff of Washington with the rank of Major General, and did much to gratify the desire of the thirteen Colonies to achieve their independence. Probably without his assistance their effort would have failed. He was influential in bringing about the alliance of the Colonies with France in February, 1778, followed by military assistance on land and sea that made it possible for Washington to succeed. Returning to France after the surrender at Yorktown, La Fayette took a leading part in the initial stages of the French Revolution. His purpose was to accomplish radical and necessary reforms, to abolish l'ancien régime by peaceful means, but control of the movement was wrested from him by the Jacobins and the Furies. He was denounced as a traitor because of his moderation and sought refuge in Holland, but was arrested on the way as an enemy of autocracy, and languished for more than five years in a loathsome dungeon at Olmütz. As compensation he gained the affection of Washington, who loved him as a son and wept as he sat by his fireside at Mount Vernon when he thought of the sufferings of La Fayette in the Austrian jail. Besides, La Fayette found a place in the hearts of the American people such as no one else from a foreign land has ever held. In our country his memory is revered unanimously; but in France the horrors of the Revolution, which he struggled in vain to prevent, cast a lingering shadow on his fame. He had many noble virtues, but did not possess the almost perfect judgment of Washington, nor a supreme faculty for command like the Corsican. This was indicated when, in 1792, he relinquished command of the French army and fled toward Holland, and in other critical moments when he failed to achieve for France the priceless blessing of liberty protected by law. In 1824 and the following year La Fayette-General La Fayette he wished to be called, after discarding his title of Marquis-paid a visit to our country on invitation of President Monroe, extended in concurrence with a resolution of Congress. He arrived at the harbor of New York on Sunday, the 15th of August, and spent the night at Castleton, Staten Island, with Vice-President Tompkins. On Monday he was escorted to the city by a magnificent flotilla of steam and sail boats, accompanied by the cheers and songs of a vast multitude afloat and ashore. As the vessel bearing La Fayette approached the Battery a fine band played the French air: "Où pêut on être mieux qu'au sein de sa famille?" Four days were spent in charming entertainment and festivities in the hospitable city, and then La Fayette began a progress throughout the country, which turned out to be a continuous ovation. The General visited the principal cities and the most interesting places in all of the twenty-four States then constituting the Union. He was greeted everywhere by short speeches and elaborate orations; and by resolutions of legislative and municipal bodies expressing boundless admiration, gratitude and good wishes. Wherever he went he was saluted by cannon, and bells and |